Many companies moved to a work-from-home scenario during the current pandemic for extended periods. Despite the economic uncertainty, some companies chose to use this time to undertake office fit-outs in anticipation of their employees’ eventual return. If this is something your company is currently considering, here are some tips for making the process less stressful.
What Is an Office Fit Out?
An office fit-out is when a company creates an office or workspace where none existed before, filling up an otherwise empty space. The difference between a fit-out and merely furnishing an office is that an office fit-out incorporates the specific needs and intentions of the people working there, rather than using bland, generic furniture, décor, and interiors. The new space is customized to suit the employees’ tastes, which makes it a more pleasant environment and stimulates productivity.
There are two types of office fit-outs, Category A and Category B.
- Category A fit-outs include the basic interior features – electrical systems, HVAC systems, and mechanical installations. Category A fit-outs make the space usable.
- Category B fit-outs include implementing the type of customized features that a company would want to make the space personal and functional. Offices, conference rooms, break room space, and more features are added during a Category B fit-out.
So how can you make an office fit-out easier?
Managing a Category B Office Fit-Out
An office fit-out typically takes anywhere from four to twelve weeks to complete. It costs money and requires patience from everyone involved. While some of your employees might be able to work in a partially completed office space during a Category B fit-out, a Category A fit-out would be unsafe for on-site employees.
Here are some tips to keep your Category B office fit-out manageable.
- Allow employees to work from home. The fewer people around, the better, especially if there are a lot of building projects going on. Even if it was safe, having employees working from makeshift desks wouldn’t be ideal for productivity. It would be better for all involved (including construction crew and your employees) if you kept on-site office personnel to a minimum.
- Set realistic expectations for your employees. Construction projects are notorious for running behind due to unexpected issues arising, usually at the worst possible times. Expect delays, and don’t allow them to stress you or your employees unnecessarily. The chances are good that there’s nothing that you can do to avoid them, so try and roll with them.
- Keep in touch with your employees. Host team Zoom meetings and have scheduled check-ins to ensure that work progresses, communication is maintained, and there are no issues while your new workspace is under construction. You can take your team on regular virtual tours of the space as it’s progressing to keep employees interested, providing teaser views of their new offices, break areas, and other fun areas to keep things interesting.
Trust Henick-Lane to Complete Your Office Fit-Out
As experts in Category A office fit-out needs and requirements, our team can provide affordable, practical HVAC solutions for your new commercial office space. The team at Henick-Lane has more than 50 years of experience in residential and commercial HVAC. We can custom design an HVAC solution that will keep your employees comfortable and satisfied. Get started by calling us today at (718) 786-7277.